ASPECTS OF THE SYNTHESIS OF COPPER HYDRIDE AND SUPPORTED COPPER HYDRIDE

The synthesis of copper hydride powder is described. The material is characterised by powder X-rav diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The hydride was precipitated in the presence of, or mechanically mixed with, catalytically interesting supports (alumina, silica, ceria and zinc oxide) provided all operations are carried out under inert atmospheres. The supported hydride may be thermally decomposed at low temperatures to yield suitably sized copper particles directly on the support. This novel route is likely to lead to catalytically active materials. It is found that copper hydride is stable on non-basic supports but decomposes on contact with strongly basic surfaces.